ParaCoach Erasmus Project

Project Title

ParaCoach

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Disabilities – special needs; Recognition, transparency, certification; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses

Project Summary

Context
Sport coaches play a significant role in the provision of quality sport opportunities for performers who desire to participate for recreational and performance reasons. Hence an increased and well-equipped Para-Disability Coach Workforce will increase the number of disabled people participating in sport and also increase the opportunities for performers to gain national representation. However, research within Para-Disability Coaching continually identifies the need for relevant coaching education and learning opportunities. Additionally, current Sport Coaching Frameworks which influenced the development of coach education, fail to grasp the complexity associated with coaching disability such as impairment specific functions, ethical coaching philosophy, promoting social inclusion and effective pedagogical practices. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of Para-Disability coaches could be ill-prepared to work effectively and also lack the education and qualification to enhance employability and mobility across the EU. Furthermore, the lack of coach education and learning could also be a barrier to new coaches wanting to work within this context. Therefore, the ParaCoach Project (ParaCoach) sought to enhance Para-Disability sport coaches’ learning, mobility and employment through the development of a Para-Disability Sport Coaching European Framework (PDSCEF), Para-Disability Massive Open Online Coaching Course (PDMOOC) and Course Study Guide. These outputs and underpinning research data and implementation and dissemination tools will act as recognised reference points across the Union for the development of coaching practice, coach education programmes and coaching systems. The Framework will also enhance national systems of vocational education and training in Para-Disability Sport Coaching by being referenced against the European Quality Assurance Framework for Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) and aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). The outputs will not address the vocational education of sport coaches, but also those of coach developers (the trainers of coaches).

The following outputs have been created to address the gap in coach education and learning:
1. An audit of the Para-Disability Coach workforce across the partners and EU
2. Collection of Best Practice Portfolio show cased effective ethical athlete centered coaching and the systems involved in the development of effective coach education, learning and development support.
3. Construction of the Para-Disability Sport Coaching European Framework now serves as a reference point for coaches, coach education and providers of VET.
4. Construction of the Para-Disability Coach Massive Open Online Course is mapped to the coaching framework and now supports the development of coaches and VET providers.
5. Study guides to support the MOOC course and to be used as stand-alone guides are now available to inform context specific courses
6. The Project Online Platform (www.paracoach.eu) now hosts the MOOC and serves as a hub and repository of information for the European community of Para-Disability Coaches

Number and Profile of Participants

ParaCoach was led by Liverpool John Moores University and comprised a consortium of leading organisations in coach education and disability sport such as the International Council for Coaching Excellence, European Paralympic Committee, Hungarian Paralympic Committee, Institute of Sport Poland and NOC-NSF. Over the lifecycle of the project, by creating the project outputs and engaging with key agencies the project has impacted the following target populations to various degrees:
1. National coordinating bodies for coach education
2. VET providers and National Federations
3. Coach Employers
4. Coaches Associations
5. Coach Developers
6. Sport Coaches.

The Results, Impact and Long-Term Benefits will lead to – more accessible and inclusive VET training opportunities for sport coaches working in the Para-Disability sport context – increased employability and mobility – a suitably trained Para-Disability coaches workforce across the EU. In turn, the above will contribute to: -increased sport participation and satisfaction of European disabled participants – enhanced physical and mental wellbeing of European disabled participants – the use of sport as a tool for integration and social inclusion in Europe – positive health and economic outcomes. The project was built with long-term sustainability in mind. LJMU, ICCE and EPC has committed to guaranteeing the impact of the project beyond the initial three years through the mass dissemination of the outputs and the regular upkeep the online DRAFT Report Form Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices: 2018 KA2 EN5/26 has committed to guaranteeing the impact of the project beyond the initial three years through the mass dissemination of the outputs and the regular upkeep the online platform for years to come.

Project Website

http://www.paracoach.eu

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 431834,21 Eur

Project Coordinator

LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY & Country: UK

Project Partners

• NEDERLANDS OLYMPISCH COMITE-NEDERLANDSE SPORT FEDERATIE VERENIGING
• EUROPEAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE
• INSTYTUT SPORTU
• Hungarian Paralympic Committee
• INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR COACHING EXCELLENCE